Pokémon: I just became a Gym Leader, and Cynthia proposed to me.

Chapter 748 Burn, Akai!

Airport announcements repeatedly urged passengers to board their flights to Sinnoh.

Cynthia stood in front of the security checkpoint, her fingers still hooked around Li Shuwen's sleeve, reluctant to let go.

She complained, "Wusong is really something. He clearly told me to rest for a few more days, but then he called and said that some documents needed my personal signature."

"I think he did it on purpose; he can't stand seeing others have an easy time while he's working overtime."

Li Shuwen listened to her complaints with a smile on his lips.

He knew she wasn't really angry; she was just stalling for time.

"During the Master Ranked Match," Cynthia looked up, her eyes sparkling, "I'll definitely be there as soon as possible to witness your awesome performance."

Li Shuwen reached out and gently tidied her wind-blown blonde hair. "I'll definitely prepare the best ice cream for you then."

Cynthia's eyes curved into crescent moons.

She looked around to make sure no one was paying attention, then quickly reached out and touched Li Shuwen's abs.

"Charging complete!"

She withdrew her hand contentedly, a blush on her face that seemed to be a mixture of shyness and joy. "Now I can hold out until your match."

Li Shuwen was both amused and exasperated. "What kind of charging is this?"

"You don't understand," Cynthia said seriously. "This is a skill developed through special training."

The broadcast urged them again. Cynthia took a deep breath and finally loosened her sleeve.

"I'm leaving." She turned and took two steps, then turned back. "Remember to message me."

"Um."

"Don't go three days without contacting me again like last time."

"Won't."

"I want strawberry flavored ice cream."

"Know."

Cynthia finally walked through the security checkpoint. She waved to him through the glass, then turned and disappeared into the crowd.

Li Shuwen stood there, staring at the empty passage, before finally looking away after a long while.

Li Meining approached at some point, standing on tiptoe and peering towards the security checkpoint.

"Your sister-in-law is gone?"

Li Shuwen did not correct her form of address. "I'm leaving."

"Reluctant to part with it?"

Li Shuwen glanced at her.

Li Meining stuck out her tongue and wisely shut her mouth.

The city of Veil has never been this lively.

The mayor personally set up a stage in the square, and a red carpet was laid all the way from the city hall to the entrance of the dojo.

The streets were lined with colorful flags and balloons, with the words "Congratulations to Li Meining on winning the Quartz Championship" printed in gold.

The band played a cheerful march in the square, and children ran around holding Lucario balloons.

Li Meining rode on a fiery horse, wearing her blue battle robe from the Quartz Tournament finals and a flower wreath, waving to the crowds on both sides.

The fiery horse's mane gleamed like flames in the sunlight, and each step it took was steady and powerful, as if it knew today was a big day, walking with extraordinary pride.

"Thank you everyone—!" Li Meining's clear and resonant voice echoed throughout the plaza. "This championship belongs to everyone in Veil City!"

A burst of enthusiastic applause and cheers erupted from the crowd.

"I've always had high hopes for Meining since she was little!"

"The sister of the Midas Touch is truly extraordinary!"

"Our Curtain City has produced a regional tournament champion! And it's the Quartz Tournament!"

The bakery owner, waving her apron, shouted the loudest, "Meining, my daughter says she wants to learn from Sister Meining and become a champion someday!"

Ah Kai stood at the front of the crowd, his eyes red and tears welling up.

He clapped his hands so hard that his palms turned red.

"It's...it's such a touching youth..." He sniffed, his voice choked with emotion, unable to speak.

Li Meining leaned out from the flaming horse and asked him with a smile, "Kai, when are you going to participate in the regional tournament?"

Ah Kai's applause stopped.

He stood there, his mouth opening and closing, his expression shifting from excitement to confusion, and then from confusion to helplessness.

Everyone around him was watching him, waiting for his answer.

He scratched his head, laughed, and said, "I... I still need to accumulate experience; my youth isn't passionate enough yet!"

Li Fei patted him on the shoulder and said half-jokingly, "I think you're already pretty amazing, Kai."

Xinyue and Ajin also came over, chiming in with their own opinions.

Crescent Moon said earnestly, "Senior Brother, don't worry about going out to challenge us. We'll take good care of everyone at the Veil Dojo."

Ajin nodded vigorously: "Yeah, yeah, I took care of all the cleaning at the dojo while you were away!"

Ah Kai smiled as he responded to the enthusiasm of his junior brothers and sisters, but a hint of confusion flashed in his eyes.

Standing at the back of the crowd, Li Shuwen clearly saw that fleeting glance.

After the celebration ended, Shinji and Li Mining went to Shinji's house to clean up the dust that had accumulated over the past few months.

Li Shuwen returned to the dojo and gathered his disciples on the training ground.

"new moon."

Crescent Moon stepped forward, clenching her fists nervously.

Li Shuwen looked at her and nodded slightly. "Your understanding of grass and poison attributes is much deeper than it was three months ago. You're also better at timing your attacks."

Crescent Moon's eyes lit up, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up. "Ah Jin."

Ajin trotted out, his hands and feet moving nervously. Li Shuwen's gaze fell on the Pikachu on his shoulder.

"The development of Flashpoint has made significant progress; its speed has increased considerably, and its turning has become more agile. Keep it up."

Ajin grinned, and Pikachu perched on his shoulder and barked happily.

Li Shuwen also commented on Peter, Tanjiro, Nezuko, and Barbara, affirming their basic training.

Finally, his gaze fell on Akai.

Ah Kai stood ramrod straight, awaiting his master's evaluation.

Li Shuwen walked up to him, patted him on the shoulder, and said nothing.

Akai's smile froze for a moment.

As night fell, the dojo fell silent. The disciples returned to their rooms to rest, leaving only the light on in the corner of the training ground.

Ah Kai sat on the steps, the moonlight shining on him and casting a long shadow.

He held a Poké Ball in his hand, its surface smooth and shiny from being rubbed, with some faded edges.

"Kai, why are you confused?" Li Shuwen's voice came from behind him.

Akai's body stiffened for a moment, but he didn't turn around.

He remained silent for a long time, so long that the moonlight seemed to have moved to the other side of the steps.

"Master, I feel... that training at the Veiled Dojo for the rest of my life might be quite enjoyable."

His voice was very soft, as if afraid of waking something, "Am I being unambitious?"

Li Shuwen sat down next to him, shook his head, and said.

"No, the most precious thing for a person is contentment. You are an excellent trainer."

Akai raised his head, and the moonlight shone on his face, illuminating his confused eyes.

"But... everyone says that trainers should go out and challenge themselves, participate in tournaments, and prove themselves. Crescent and Gold are all hoping I'll go..."

Li Shuwen didn't answer directly. He looked at the serene moonlight and slowly said, "Kai, ask your heart. Don't care what others say, don't care what others expect."

Let your heart tell you what kind of youth you want.

Kai closed his eyes. The night wind blew through the eaves of the dojo, rustling the fallen leaves below the steps.

The calls of wild Pokémon drifted from afar, one long, one short, as if they were answering each other. His heart pounded, steady and strong, one beat after another.

Five minutes passed.

Ah Kai slowly opened his eyes, and something in those eyes had changed.

No longer lost or confused, but instead, a quiet, steady, yet incredibly intense flame ignited within me.

"Master, I plan to train at the Veiled Dojo for the rest of my life. Is that alright?"

His voice was much louder than before, and he enunciated each word very clearly.

"I prefer my current life to becoming a famous master or a legend. I train every day, spend time with Pokémon every day, and watch my juniors improve. That's enough for me."

Li Shuwen looked at him and smiled.

That smile was full of satisfaction.

"sure."

A brighter light ignited in Akai's eyes.

"However," Li Shuwen changed the subject, "wanting to train at the Veil Dojo for a lifetime doesn't mean you can't participate in the regional tournament."

Akai blinked. "Master, am I strong enough right now?"

Li Shuwen stood up and dusted himself off. "Tomorrow, we'll go to Tianguan Mountain to test your strength."

Ah Kai jumped up excitedly. "Yes! Master, I'm going back to sleep now!"

He ran a few steps, then stopped and looked back at Li Shuwen.

"Master... thank you."

Li Shuwen waved his hand, and Akai's figure disappeared into the corridor of the dojo.

The footsteps faded into the distance, and the night wind began to blow again.

Li Fei suddenly appeared out of nowhere and excitedly ran up to Li Shuwen.

"Brother Wen, does that mean that once Kai passes the test, he'll become the head of the Veiled Dojo, and then I'll be completely free?"

Li Shuwen looked at him, a slight smile playing on his lips. "What are you thinking about? Kai has to go out and participate in the regional tournament. He needs to win the championship before he can take over the gym."

Li Fei's face fell. "Huh? How much longer do we have to wait?"

Li Shuwen patted him on the shoulder. "Athletes all need time to reflect."

Li Fei: "..."

Tianguan Mountain is a special magnetic field region.

The rocks here are exposed, gleaming with an unnatural metallic sheen.

There was a tiny electric current flowing in the air, and occasionally a crackling sound could be heard.

The magnetic field here can stimulate the potential of Pokémon, making it a good place to test their strength.

Ah Kai stood on one side of the field and took a deep breath.

He gripped the Machamp's Poké Ball tightly, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

Li Shuwen stood on the opposite side, threw a Poké Ball, and Kommo-o landed with a thud, its scales gleaming metallic in the sunlight.

"Machamp, please!" Kai threw out a Poké Ball.

A burst of white light erupted, and Hao Li landed on the ground, his fists colliding with each other, producing a dull thud.

It looked at the Staff-tailed Armored Dragon opposite it, its eyes showing no fear, only pure fighting spirit.

"Staff-tailed Scaled Dragon, Stomp!" Li Shuwen's voice was calm.

The Staff-tailed Armored Dragon raised its foot and slammed it into the ground.

A shockwave, tinged with an earthy yellow hue, exploded from beneath our feet, cracking the ground and sending debris flying.

Haoli was shaken so badly that he lost his balance and staggered backward.

"Horsepower, hold on!" Kai shouted. "Use Bodybuilding!"

Haoli gritted his teeth to steady himself, tightened his arms, and his muscles swelled up, his aura began to rise.

"Tread again."

The Staff-tailed Armored Dragon stomped the ground again.

The shockwave was even more powerful than before, and Haoli was forced to kneel on one knee, his knee slamming into the shattered rocks.

"Stand up, Machoke! Use a cross chop!"

Haoli sprang up, crossed his arms into a cross, and charged toward the Staff-tailed Armored Dragon.

The Staff-tailed Armored Dragon did not dodge, but instead met the attack head-on with its claws.

boom!

The cross slash collided with the dragon's claw, and Mawley was knocked back three steps, but it did not fall.

"Again! A series of cross slashes!"

Haoli gritted his teeth and charged forward again and again.

The cross-shaped slash was met with a knockback.

The cross-shaped slash still sent him repelled.

Cross Slash!

This time, Haoli held on for one more second.

But the claws of the Staff-tailed Armored Dragon still sent him flying.

Haoli crashed to the ground, writhing in pain, and struggled to his feet.

"Haoli..."

Akai's voice trembled.

He looked at Haoli's injuries, at his trembling legs, and at his eyes that still burned with fighting spirit.

He recalled when he first came to the dojo, when Gollum was just a wrist brace. It was through day-to-day training and year-to-year perseverance that they got to where they are today.

"Mahwon—!" Kai's voice was hoarse but full of power, "We've trained for so long, sweated so much, not to collapse here!"

"Youth, burn brightly!"

Hawley's eyes lit up. "Harrick!"

Haoli's body began to glow, his figure stretching and expanding in the light, and a second pair of arms grew from his shoulder blades, his muscles as if cast from steel.

As the light faded, the monstrous force stood there, its four arms clenched into fists, and roared to the sky!

Akai's eyes welled up with tears. "Superhuman strength..."

Li Shuwen watched this scene with a slight smile on his lips.

"Morphodon, close-quarters combat."

The Staff-tailed Armored Dragon charged forward, unleashing a torrent of punches, elbows, knees, and tail strikes.

The newly evolved Mighty swung all four arms together, its Bullet Punch transforming into countless afterimages as it clashed head-on with Kommo-o in close combat.

boom!boom!boom!boom!

The dense collisions sounded like drums, each strike making the air tremble.

But Kommo-o-Tsurugi is too strong.

Each strike is heavier and faster than monstrous strength.

The superhuman strength blocked ten punches, but the defense was breached from the front.

The staff-tailed armored dragon's fist struck him squarely in the chest, sending him flying.

The strange force slammed to the ground, slid several meters, struggled to get up, all four arms trembling, and finally collapsed helplessly.

Akai withdrew his superhuman strength and took a deep breath. "Grenadier, please!"

Li Shuwen also switched to a Pokémon and brought it into the battle.

The rumbling stone landed on the field, its rock armor gleaming in the sunlight.

Looking at the fairy spirit opposite, it let out a low roar.

"Fairy Spirit, Iron Tail."

The fairy's ribbons shone with a metallic light as they swept towards the rumbler.

Rumble Stone raised his arm to block.

boom!

Its body was jolted two steps to the side, but its heavy chassis helped it regain its balance.

"Rumblestone, roll!"

The rumblestone curled into a ball and began to spin.

The speed increased rapidly, like an out-of-control boulder crushing the fairy.

The fairy sprite leaped lightly into the air, and her iron tail lashed out again.

boom.

The rumbling stone was pulled off course, crashed to the ground, bounced up, and crashed down again.

But the rumblestone didn't stop; instead, it rolled faster and faster.

"Iron Tail Combo!" Li Shuwen's voice rang out.

The fairy's ribbons transformed into streaks of silver light, lashing down on the rumblestone like a torrential downpour.

boom! boom! boom!

Rumblestone was whipped around and swayed, feeling dizzy and lightheaded.

Akai clenched his fist. "Longhorn, youth never gives up!"

The rumblestone let out a deep roar, and its body began to glow.

The rock armor became thicker, and the limbs became more robust.

Evolution, Golem!

"The power of the earth!" Akai's voice trembled.

Longlongyan stomped his foot on the ground, and a yellowish-brown energy wave exploded out, causing the entire area to tremble.

The fairy spirit was shaken and flew up.

"The power of the moon!" Li Shuwen's voice remained calm.

The fairy spirit steadied itself in mid-air, and pink light gathered around it, transforming into a thick pillar of light that hurtled towards Rumble Rock.

Longlongyan crossed his arms to block, the beam of light exploded, and he was blasted back several steps, his eyes filled with determination.

The rumbling rocks rushed towards the fairy spirit, whose body began to glow.

Energy is compressed, condensed, and detonated!

boom!!!

A massive mushroom cloud exploded in the center of the field, and the shockwave blew all the surrounding rocks away.

Youth is a big bang!

When the smoke and dust cleared, Longlongyan lay at the bottom of the pit, his eyes closed, completely unconscious.

The fairy fell from the sky, her body charred black and covered in dust.

Li Shuwen looked at Akai with a smile on his lips.

"good."

Ah Kai was panting heavily, his face covered in sweat, but his eyes shone with an astonishing brightness.

His Machamp evolved, his Graveler evolved, and his Pokémon answered his expectations.

It's not because he's so strong, but because the sweat they shed together and the training they persevered through were real.

"Master," Akai's voice was a little hoarse, "I still want to stay at the dojo and train for the rest of my life. But I also want to try participating in a major tournament."

Li Shuwen patted him on the shoulder. "Then give it a try."

Ah Kai laughed, a laugh like a child.

"Master, I'll treat you to my homemade noodles when we get back!"

Li Shuwen nodded. "Remember to add an egg."

Akai clenched his fist. "I want ten more!"

The master and his apprentice chatted and laughed as they walked down the mountain.